At least 19 cooperatives in Turkana have undergone a three-day capacity-building training aimed at enhancing their ability to extend credit and savings services to farmers, as part of efforts to boost agricultural productivity and food security.
The training, conducted by the County Government in partnership with local banks, falls under the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP), which seeks to strengthen farmers’ resilience against food insecurity through improved financial access and supportive systems.
Chief Officer for Agriculture and Land Reclamation, David Maraka, stated that the initiative marks a significant step toward enhancing financial inclusion for farmers in the county.
“Fifty-seven SACCO leaders have been trained on risk-based lending, credit rating for farmers, identification of high-value crops, and supporting contract farming arrangements,” Maraka said during the session.
FSRP’s Financial Inclusion and Creditworthiness Lead for Crop and Livestock Farmers, David Naita, reaffirmed the project’s commitment to working closely with the 19 SACCOs to ensure effective implementation of their credit and lending policies.
James Echuchuka, Chairman of Lokori/Kochodin SACCO, said the training had equipped leaders with essential management skills.
“I have been empowered on governance, financial management, and bookkeeping, and I look forward to sharing these skills with other SACCO members,” he said.
The training aligns with broader national and county government efforts to strengthen financial structures that support livelihoods and build resilient food systems across Turkana.
By the end of the programme, SACCO leaders had drafted a credit policy tailored to farmers’ needs, aimed at improving access to financing and contributing to food security in the region.
Officials present included FSRP County Community Institutions Development Officer Josephine Emase; Deputy Director for Livestock Production; and FSRP representatives Wilson Ejie (Deputy Director, Trade), Ernest Anzeze (Assistant Director, Livestock Production), Naphtali Maiche (Principal Cooperative Officer), and Felix Kiptuli (Principal County Cooperative Auditor).
Bank representatives included Mark Gitau (Sales Executive, Co-operative Bank) and William Ouma (Digital Literacy Corps, Equity Group Foundation).
National government officials in attendance were Njoroge Wanjiru, Ibrahim Gichuki, and Esther Kariuki from the State Department for Cooperatives.
